Motivating Yourself

March 30, 2015

We all want more freedom and control of our lives but how do we motivate our self to get there? It is not easy getting and staying motivated. In most cases it is easier to accept the things we do not want, rather than to motivate our self. Have you ever really thought about motivation and the role it plays in your life?

When you ask the question what motivation means to you, it also begs the questions, “Do I believe in motivation?” and, “Do I really need motivation?” In other words, do you believe you need motivation to succeed in your career and personal goals?

The dictionary defines motivation as something that causes a person to act or a method to provide a motive. Motivation comes with many different faces. Some you may recognize and some you may not.

Some synonyms for motivation are inspiration, incentive, drive and enthusiasm. Do any of these look familiar? If they don’t, then you may need motivation more than you think. It appears some people were born motivated.

They hit the ground running each morning with a vibrant burst of energy that makes others a little nauseous while downing their first cup of coffee. Throughout the day, they seem to be inexhaustible as they tackle one project after another. You watch from the sideline with emotions ranging from skepticism to admiration.

You, on the other hand, could fall in the category of being slow to start and it goes downhill from there. You could do as well as the other person, if you could just get started and find the motivation.

Depression may rear its ugly head as you continue to watch others run the race and finish while you’re still in the starting gate. Depression has been called the absence of motivation.

It’s difficult to be depressed when you’re motivated, and equally difficult to fail or fall behind. Perhaps you’re plagued with short bursts of motivation only to lose interest when the going gets tough. This is common not only in business goals and projects but in your personal life as well.

Most people who are motivated in their personal life find it easy to maintain that enthusiasm in their career. If you equate motivation with success, eagerness and passion you could be right. Are you eager and passionate about your daily tasks? Or, do you slog through them and only see a glimmer of happiness when the task if finished?

Success comes in all sizes and disguise. One of the best ways to get motivated is to take small steps every day toward your goal.